Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of Mayhem by John Claude Bemis, illustrated by Nicole Miles (Holiday House, 272 pages, grades 4-7). Sidney Poblocki is trying to convince his best friend Walt to try to run away with him after another failed foster family experience when two mysterious groups appear from out of nowhere, each trying to convince him to come with them. He chooses the Paladins over Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of Mayhem, drinking a punch that allows him to travel through the multiverse but makes those left behind, including Walt, forget that he even existed. Before long, Sidney realizes he’s chosen the side of evil, but gets a second chance to join Rodeo and her girls, where he learns about a prophecy that someone named Sidney Poblocki will destroy the multiverse, leading the Paladins to have killed every Sidney Poblocki they’ve found before him. All of that happens before page 70, and the rest is a fast-paced story of good vs. evil, as the ragtag Daughters of Mayhem seek to stop the Paladins before they can destroy Sidney…and possibly the entire universe.
While sci-fi graphic novel is not usually my favorite genre, I have to admire the incredible world-building, adventure, and pure fun of this series starter. It seems like a graphic novel that will appeal to fans of Wings of Fire, Amulet, and Animorphs, and I was happy to see a preview for book 2 at the end. Thanks to Holiday House for providing me with an advanced copy; publication is scheduled for September 9.
Schoolbot 9000 by Sam Hepburn (Dial Books, 288 pages, grades 4-7). James is struggling with some big feelings following the death of his artist father who always supported James’s creativity. Now his mom is working all the time, and she’s gotten a HomeBot to help out. James hates the way this domestic robot surveils him at home and around his neighborhood. As if that’s not bad enough, there are new SchoolBot 9000s at school, a couple of robots guaranteed to bring up student test scores. As the machines learn about the students and teachers, they gradually start taking over more and more of the educational process, edging out the human teachers who are offered secret jobs at the company running the program. James feels like he’s the only one who can see the sinister takeover of life by robots, but is one human enough to defeat the power of artificial intelligence?
This book could hardly be more timely, not only the exploration of AI, but the increasing dependence of school administrators on technology and the emphasis above all else on raising test scores, even if that means taking away teacher autonomy and input into the educational process. Despite the weighty topics, it’s also a fun and suspenseful story, and readers will be happy to see the message on the last page: “Stay tuned for the next SchoolBot adventure!”